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- Garrison Starr
Airstreams & Satellites
Vanguard Records
By Steve Cooper
 Garrison Starr is a "chick
singer" who can write 'em and sing 'em. In fact, there
is not a less than tunefully, lyrically interesting song on this
album. So, why don't I much like it? Maybe because it isn't
that different from a lot of other product out there. It is
professional, slick, sleek, ear-friendly, but, still, product.
Maybe it's the arrangements. They are just too damn polite.
Someone needs to drop a cymbal or break a guitar string. The
guitars are pleasantly jangly, but they never cut through. The
drums are so ticky-tocky predictable that a synthesizer rhythm
track would have done just as well. The notes that follow the
previous notes that follow the previous notes are the ones you
would expect.
Garrison's voice can be compelling. She has a sort of grown-up
kid quality to her singing that is neither kitten-y cute or jazzy
strident. There is a natural tone to the timbre that doesn't
pout or preen. (Think of a child actor with a voice that doesn't
grate.) Unfortunately, the producer thought that her voice needed
doubling or tripling on the choruses, with additional support
from a background cadre of vocalists. Which, of course, is like
putting an automatic equalizer on her vocals, never letting the
highs get too high or the lows too low. This over-production
serves to produce a sound that is about as original as a Pringle.
The soul is equalized out because soul isn't equal.
Despite the rote arrangements and suffocating production,
Starr's songwriting, at times, overcomes. On "Gasoline,"
for example, the Dave Matthews arrangement rip-off aside, the
tune and sass come through. On the title track, for another
example, the high to higher singing (again, a la Dave Matthews),
is quite appealing. Hey, maybe that's it. She borrows too much
from Matthews. Hell, Matthews himself borrowed more than a little
of his style from British folkie John Martyn.
What to do? Take Ms. Starr's considerable vocal and songwriting
talents and put her in a more acoustic setting. Leave a wart
or two unremoved. Get her some back-up musicians who don't sound
like they're cell-phoning in their parts. A twang producer like
Gurf Morlix or Pete Anderson might be the ticket. Or an atmospheric
producer like Daniel Lanois or T-Bone Burnett. Lots of things
could be done. Garrison Starr is a talent worth properly showcasing.
If not, her CDs will remain in that stack over there.
Contact Steve Cooper at: cooper-at-rockzilla.net
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